1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a driving device for moving and steering a miniature vehicle provided with at least one steered wheel.
2. Description of the Related Art
The invention is particularly advantageously applicable in the field of toys, and especially in the field of miniature vehicles remote-controlled by a control member whose dimensions and positioning correspond to the child's morphology; the child must be able to move and steer such a vehicle with the aid of the driving device while walking upright.
The majority of driving devices known from the prior art comprise archaic and generally rudimentary mechanisms. In the majority of cases, the orientation of the steered wheels is provided by mere pivoting of the axle on which said wheels are freely mounted. This movement, controlled by the rotation of the control member, is transmitted by the agency of transmission means generally taking the form of a more or less articulated steering column acting directly on the steering axle. It will readily be understood that this type of device is entirely incapable of simulating real driving or the behavior of a real vehicle, which considerably restricts the attraction of such a toy.
Efforts have been made to remedy these problems by providing the miniature vehicle with real steered wheels, that is to say wheels that can be oriented along different axes. In a known manner, each of them is mounted free to rotate on pivoting support means. The latter are, for their part, actuated individually by steering tie rods connected to a rudder bar which is itself interdependent with the steering column.
Although this type of embodiment proves superior in terms of enjoyment to that described previously, the fact remains that it is still insufficiently realistic to be able to communicate to its user genuine sensations of driving such as to give the toy a lasting interest.